What to do, what to do?

I’ve finally come up with a plan for my cracks. The factory which makes the kit ( Van’s Aircraft ) has said that I can stop drill the cracks and just watch to make sure they don’t spread (which they are not expecting to happen.) I’ve had other advice that I should remove the wing and drill that whole skin off and put a new skin on. The most sensable advice came from a friend who built a similar airplane. Aside from being a Godly man in his own right, he is a retired materials engineer. He agreed that the cracks on the wing skin didn’t pose any hazard to flight but that if it were him he just couldn’t stand looking at them. So I’m going to follow his advice which involves drilling out the rivets in the affected area from the fuel tank all the way back to the trailing spar. Then place a doubler skin on top of this that will cover the entire wing in the affected area. This will do two things; hide the cracks, and provide extra support for errant feet. Once painted over it will look like it was designed that way.

As for the cracks on the trailing edge of the elevator, well, I’m just going to rebuild both elevators. I’m looking at this as an opportunity to replace my manual trim system with electric trim. Just got to get this bird into painting shape!

Last summer was the worst in 10 years for fog or so I was told. I have been here 3 years and the two previous there was only a of handful of days (literally) that it was fogged in here in Shelter Cove. We are blessed with a “banana belt” right here in the cove. We can see the fog roll onto Fort Bragg, and up around the corner toward Eureka, but it will be clear here.

With that said, the fog comes when it gets really hot inland and we have no wind. If it’s 95+ in the valley, you can count on fog here. Spring is usually windy , blows right down 30. It’s calm in the morning and starts to pick up thru the day. Scott Seabourn is from Stockton (new rocket builder/owner), and he made it back with a tailwind in less than 45 min with the tailwind.

If you let me know when you want to come, and for some reason visibility gets low, you can land over in Garberville and we can come pick you up to visit. It’ll be nice to say hello.